Daily Archives: 23 June 2026

Lebanon building damage in Israeli attacks estimated at $1.38B

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Buildings and structures suffer extensive damage after strikes carried out during the second day of Eid al-Adha, in the city of Tyre, southern Lebanon, on May 29, 2026. [Houssam Shbaro – Anadolu Agency]

The direct cost of damage to buildings in southern Lebanon due to the recent Israeli offensive on the country exceeded $1.38 billion, with rubble estimated at around 3.1 million cubic meters, a UN agency and a Lebanese research center said Monday.

The assessment report was released by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Lebanon’s government-linked National Council for Scientific Research

It found that 11,095 buildings were completely destroyed, affecting 17,891 housing units, while 2,242 buildings were partially damaged, equivalent to 5,219 housing units.

The report also revealed that 9,311 buildings sustained minor damage, equivalent to 18,282 housing units.

The assessment covers areas south of the Litani River, including the districts of Bint Jbeil, Marjayoun, Nabatieh, Tyre, and Sidon.

READ: Israeli Cabinet minister rejects ceasefire, says Lebanon ‘should be Israel’s playground’

The evaluation was based on a geospatial artificial intelligence methodology, supported by desk-based visual verification, without field inspections, the report explained.

The comparison was conducted between high-resolution satellite images taken on April 29, 2026, and others dated Oct. 23, 2025, allowing the detection of visible conflict-related damage, including roof collapses, structural deformation, and rubble accumulation at the building level, it added.

The report noted that the assessment does not include basements or underground structures, nor damage to critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, electricity, water, and telecommunications networks.

Since March 2, Israel has been carrying out an expanded offensive on Lebanon, involving shelling and demolition of homes, particularly in the south of the country, killing 4,106 people, injuring 12,153 others, and displacing over a million people, according to Lebanese officials.

READ: Israel plans to reduce forces in southern Lebanon under US pressure ahead of Lebanese army deployment

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says he wishes someone would lock him up, small Orca speaks bluntly.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says he wishes someone would lock him up, small Orca speaks bluntly.

Continue ReadingLebanon building damage in Israeli attacks estimated at $1.38B

Palestinian rights group calls for release of 3 pregnant women held by Israel

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Palestinian women take part in a march demanding the release of female prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons in Nablus in the West Bank on March 9, 2025. [Mohammed Nasser/Apaimages]

A prisoner advocacy group called Monday for urgent intervention to secure the release of three pregnant Palestinian women held by Israel under “harsh” and “tragic” conditions at Damon Prison, Anadolu reports.

In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoner Society held the Israeli authorities fully responsible for the fate of Amina al-Taweel, Dana Jouda and Manar Ibrahim, saying they are among 93 Palestinian women held in Israeli prisons, most of them at Damon Prison in northern Israel.

“The women are being held under severe conditions and in unprecedented isolation, with the International Committee of the Red Cross still barred from visiting prisoners since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza,” the group said.

“Their families are also denied visits, like all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons,” it added.

Al-Taweel, 37, from Qalqilya, is four months pregnant. She is a mother of four and the wife of a former prisoner who spent a total of 19 years in Israeli prisons. Israeli forces arrested her March 18, 2026.

Jouda, 35, from Nablus, is a mother of one and five months pregnant. She has been detained since April 18, 2026, and was placed under arbitrary administrative detention for six months, the group said.

READ: Palestinian female prisoner Lama Khater details alleged abuse in Israeli prisons

Ibrahim, 28, from Ramallah, is a mother of two and four months pregnant. She was arrested April 30, 2026, and remains detained over what Israel claims was “incitement” on social media, according to the statement.

“Legal teams’ visits to women prisoners and testimonies from released detainees show that the Israeli prison system has imposed more punitive and retaliatory measures against Palestinian women prisoners in recent months,” the society said.

Israel has arrested more than 765 Palestinian women since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza in October 2023, including girls, elderly women, students, lawyers, journalists, activists, teachers, housewives, doctors, wives and relatives of prisoners, the group said.

According to Palestinian and Israeli rights groups, around 9,500 Palestinians remain in Israeli prisons, where detainees face torture, starvation and medical neglect that have led to the deaths of dozens of prisoners.

Israel’s war in Gaza since October 2023 has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured over 173,000, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian figures.​​​​​​​

Despite a ceasefire that took effect last October, the Israeli army has since killed 1,021 Palestinians and injured 3,249 in near-daily attacks, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

READ: Palestinian detainee Saber Al-Amital dies in Israeli custody

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says he wishes someone would lock him up, small Orca speaks bluntly.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says he wishes someone would lock him up, small Orca speaks bluntly.

Continue ReadingPalestinian rights group calls for release of 3 pregnant women held by Israel

Vance reiterates claim Iran agreed to nuclear inspections, Tehran denies

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

A worker walks inside of an uranium conversion facility, part of Iran’s Nuclear Power Programme outside the city of Isfahan, Iran [Getty Images]

US Vice President JD Vance on Monday reiterated his claim that Iran has agreed to allow nuclear inspectors back into the country, while Tehran denies making any new commitments on its nuclear program, Anadolu Agency reports.

“We have the Iranians allowing weapons inspectors, nuclear inspectors into their country for the first time in a long time. We’re obviously going to bolster that inspection regime to make sure they can never have a nuclear weapon,” Vance told reporters before departing Switzerland after talks with Iranian officials.

Vance said the new round of negotiations in Burgenstock laid “a foundation for what could be a truly transformed Middle East,” while stressing that a final agreement has not yet been reached.

Technical-level discussions between US and Iranian teams will continue in the coming days, with both sides remaining engaged in Switzerland.

“We continue to make progress on these technical negotiations. We left a lot of our team, the Iranians left a lot of their team at the resort there to keep on working at,” Vance said.

“I feel great about the progress that we made over the last couple of days,” he added.

READ: US Treasury issues 60-day license for Iranian oil as part of emerging nuclear framework

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says he wishes someone would lock him up, small Orca speaks bluntly.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says he wishes someone would lock him up, small Orca speaks bluntly.

Continue ReadingVance reiterates claim Iran agreed to nuclear inspections, Tehran denies

Rubio to visit UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain to discuss Iran deal

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, DC on June 2, 2026. [Nathan Posner – Anadolu Agency]

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain this week to discuss regional security following a memorandum of understanding reached between the US and Iran, the State Department announced Monday, Anadolu reports.

In a statement, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that Rubio’s trip, which will take place on June 23-25, will focus on “a range of regional priorities including the memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to secure full and free safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region.”

In Bahrain, Rubio is scheduled to meet representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to discuss shared regional priorities and cooperation on key issues affecting Gulf states, Pigott added.

The visit would mark one of the highest-level US engagements with Gulf states since Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding last week, launching a 60-day negotiating process aimed at ending the four-month war that was initiated by the US and Israel against Iran.

READ: US Treasury issues 60-day license for Iranian oil as part of emerging nuclear framework

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says he wishes someone would lock him up, small Orca speaks bluntly.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says he wishes someone would lock him up, small Orca speaks bluntly.

Continue ReadingRubio to visit UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain to discuss Iran deal

UN committee warns Palestinian children increasingly unprotected amid pressure on rights groups

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Displaced Palestinians, including many children, wait in long queues to receive hot meals distributed by a charitable organization in Gaza City, Gaza, Palestine on June 07, 2026. [Moiz Salhi – Anadolu Agency]

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on Monday warned that Palestinian children are being left increasingly unprotected as human rights defenders and humanitarian organizations are forced to halt or scale back their work in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza and the West Bank, Anadolu reports.

In a statement, the committee strongly condemned what it described as Israel’s recent tactics of labeling human rights defenders and civil society organizations as “terrorists.”

It said the measures have been accompanied by military raids, travel bans, financial sanctions, threats of arrest, destruction of records and threats of secondary sanctions against partners supporting their work.

The committee expressed concern that organizations assisting children are being forced to curtail operations because of “sustained harassment, threats, bans, sanctions and attacks on their reputations.”

READ: Israeli army kills 2 Palestinians in southern occupied West Bank

“For more than three decades, these organizations have played a vital role in defending Palestinian children, including in the Israeli military courts, and in documenting grave violations against Palestinian children at the hands of Israeli forces,” it said.

“Without them, Palestinian children will be even less protected, and violations of their rights risk continuing with impunity.”

The committee called on Israel to immediately remove restrictions on child rights defenders and humanitarian groups and urged the international community to hold Israeli authorities accountable for attacks targeting Palestinian human rights defenders.

“Child rights defenders have continued to stand with Palestinian children and families in extraordinarily dangerous conditions,” it said. “They must be protected, not punished.”

READ: ‘Losing bet’: Hebrew media reports failure of armed militias to challenge Hamas in Gaza

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says he wishes someone would lock him up, small Orca speaks bluntly.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says he wishes someone would lock him up, small Orca speaks bluntly.

Continue ReadingUN committee warns Palestinian children increasingly unprotected amid pressure on rights groups